Bath mat



E. E. BUNTING Nov. 5, 1968 BATH MAT Filed Feb. 10, 1966 [25072 6 2472529BY 2 48/ m zk ATTORNEY United States Patent OfllCe 3,408,663 PatentedNov. 5, 1968 3,408,663 BATH MAT Edison E. Bunting, 8007 Oakleigh Road,Baltimore, Md. 21234 Filed Feb. 10, 1966 Ser. No. 526,593 2 Claims. (Cl.4-185) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Bath tubs and shower stalls arefrequently provided with rubber or plastic safety mats to prevent thebather from slipping therein and to avoid any possible resultantinjuries. After use, the mats are usually left in a wet condition on thebottom of the tub or the floor of the shower stall with the result thatthe mat soon becomes deteriorated causing an unsightly appearance andresulting in a mat unable to perform its intended function requiring itsreplacement by a new rnat.

Heretofore, various proposals have been made to suspend bath mats, forpurposes of drying the mats when not in use. In one arrangement, aframework including suitable linkage is secured to the wall of the bathtub, and the mat is pivotally connected to the linkage, whereby thelinkage and associated mat are swung to an inoperative position when notin use. In another arrangement, the mat is provided with a plurality ofsuction cups and/or magnets, whereby the mat is adapted to tightly gripthe wall of the tub.

While these arrangements have been satisfactory for their intendedpurposes, they have been subject to certain disadvantages, such as, thecost to manufacture, their bulkiness in design, and in the case wherethe mat is gripped on the side wall of the tub, the mat will not dry asefliciently as it would if freely suspended; thus, there is a tendencyfor the mat to deteriorate while on the side of the tub.

The safety mat of the present invention has been devised to overcome thedisadvantages experienced in hitherto employed bath mats, and comprises,essentially, a mat having hanger means integrally connected to one endof the mat whereby the mat may be freely suspended from a towel rack, orother suitable support, positioned in proximity to the tub or shower.The hanger means comprises a pair of key-hole slots provided adjacentone end of the mat and a pair of straps formed integrally with the matand extending from the end of the mat in alignment with the key-holeslots, a head or button member being provided on the end of each strap,whereby the mat, when not in use, may be hung to dry on a towel rack bywrapping the straps around the rack and inserting the button membersinto the slots.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved bath mat havinghanger means for freely suspending the mat from a towel rackor othersuitable support to thereby facilitate the drying of the mat when not inuse.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bath mathaving straps integrally connected to one end of the mat and adapted tobe wrapped around a towel rack for freely suspending the mat therefrom.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved bath mathaving a pair of slots provided adjacent one end of the mat and a pairof straps formed integrally with the mat and extending from the end ofthe mat in alignment with the key-hole slots, a button member beingprovided on the end of each strap, whereby the mat may be freelysuspended from a rack by wrapping the straps around the rack andinserting the button members into the slots. I

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to myimprovements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to behereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that theseveral necessary elements, comprising my invention, may be varied inconstruction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly under stood, I have shown inthe accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practicalelfect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applicationsto the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation,have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the mat of the present inventionsuspended from a towel bar;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevatioual view of the mat;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing one of the straps andassociated button member secured to a towel bar; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the bathmat of the present invention comprises a rubber or plastic mat portion 1having hanger means 2 integrally connected to one end of the mat forfreely suspending the mat from a towel bar 3, to thereby facilitate thedrying of the mat while not in use.

As will be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the hanger means comprises a pair ofkey-hole slots 4 formed in the mat adjacent one end thereof. A pair ofspaced, parallel straps 5 are integrally connected to the end of the matand extend outwardly therefrom in alignment with the key-hole slots 4,the outer end of each strap being provided with a button member 6 havinga head portion 6a integrally connected to one side of its respectivestrap by means of a throat portion 6b.

By the construction and arrangement of the hanger means, it will readilybe apparent that when attaching the mat to a towel bar, as illustratedin FIGURES l, 4 and 5, the straps 5 are wrapped around the towel bar 3and the head portions 6a are inserted through the larger ends of thekey-hole slots until the throat portions 6b become aligned with thethroat portions of the key-hole slots. A slight tension on the mat 1will cause the throat portion 6b to slide upwardly into a snug seatedposition within a the throat portion of the key-hole slot to therebyhold the mat in a freely suspended position on the towel bar. Since themat is freely suspended on the towel bar, air can circulate completelyaround the mat to quickly and efiiciently dry the mat while not in use.

By the construction and arrangement of the straps being integrallyconnected to the mat-and the button members being integrally connectedto the straps, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artthat the bath mat of the present invention is characterized by its easeof manufacture since the forming of the mat, straps and buttons can beperformed in a one-step molding operation followed by a cuttingoperation to form the keyhole slots. In View of the ease of manufacture,there results an economical bath mat, simple in design and not likely todeteriorate to any appreciable degree even after long and continued use.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention. I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself tothe precise details of construc tion herein set forth by way ofillustration, as it is apparent that many changes'and variations maybemade therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from thespirit of the invention or exceeding appended claims. a 1

I claim: 1

1. A plastic bath mat of the character described comprising, a matportion, strap means-integrally formedon .2. A bath-mat according toclaim- 1, whereinthe strap means comprises a pair of straps integrallyformed on the scope of the said one edge, and the button membercomprises, a head portionfanfa 'thrfo' at portion integrally"connectingthe head portion to one side of-its' respective':strap, said-slot meancompri ing a .pair ofkeyholes,tgrmedninsaid mat portion, the throat.portion ofeach button member being positioned within the slot portion ofits respective keyhole when the mat g'is suspended from the t ack.

1 References Cited UNITED STA E; PATENTS 2,081,992 6/1937 Gavlalc c135.. 2, 00,023 11/1937 Brown. 7 2,515,450 7/1950 Hull 4".'I'85; 2 7 13*. T.".'T' I,"- ff."

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

HAROIJDJ.-GR )SS,"AssistanftExanrirwr.

